Saved To Govern Again

Most important notions of salvation are understood within a common fad and assumption. The purpose of salvation is all about securing our safe escape to heaven. Thus, public confession of faith and baptism ceremonies become the one-stop altar at which people kneel down for deliverance from hell fishing hook knots. Hitching up however the purpose of salvation to the imperative of going to heaven amounts to a lopsided approach to God’s salvation plan. Salvation is not a doctrinal consecrated formula, or a clever rhetorical deck-stacking to discharge from commitment in government, neither a safe ride to heaven. Salvation is God’s entire legislative session for the earth. The purpose of Christ coming to this world is the restoration of God’s government on earth. “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders...His government and its peace will never end.” Isaiah 9: 6-7. In other words, salvation is God’s government policy statement for earth. It’s not a religious mandate or program. Salvation is all about God’s plans and intentions relative to a concrete cause on earth. Unfortunately, we live in a world full of people more afraid of the responsibilities of salvation on earth than the blessings of escaping hell. Until we re-learn the purpose of salvation, our spiritual devotions will remain largely an exercise in bogus religiosity. How then do we manage not to lose the north pole star? Matthew 6:33: Seek first the government of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you!

Government Corrupted by Wickedness, and Saved by Righteousness

What is the purpose of government on earth ? It is all about fulfilling a divine mandate through laws, customs, and institutions that work to achieve salvation for a nation. Governing a nation is bringing down God’s government or kingdom on earth. From feudal monarchs to the democratic contradictions galore, the transition is all about how to create more freedom, justice, and righteousness through the provision and function of upright judges and protective warriors to ferret out the wicked and free nations from the grip of political and economic tyranny.

The rise and fall of empires, governments, political regimes, as well as the clash of political ideologies and competition among economic and military power players all fit together in God’s grand strategic agenda to bringing about his government on earth. So to speak, world governments and nation states are simply puppet governments working for the advancement of God government mission statement. No matter how long it takes, God’s government on earth is on the move.

Like a boulder, a coming government of justice and righteousness is imperceptibly moving down to planet earth. It’s an unstoppable ruling force notwithstanding the unflinching resistance movements against it. Isaiah 51: 4 -5 sheds light on this ineluctable divine global policy statement. “Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way.” Going on further, Isaiah gives us an update about the future map of one of the lasting and highest coming governmental institution on earth. In Isaiah 2: 1, the highest government on earth, symbolizes as the highest mountain, will be God’s government or kingdom. “In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all - the most important place on earth.”

God’s government has a clear purpose: homeland security and peace for all individual through a governing body ruling on the foundation of justice and fairness. “I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.” Isaiah 54: 13-14. Indeed, a government loses its purpose when it becomes largely oblivious to the security and welfare of its citizens. The prime concern for national security and peace that bring about happiness for all, is the reason why God is preoccupied with governmental mandate on earth. Samuel Adams, the Father of the American Revolution as well as one of the architects of American Republicanism could not be so more accurate and articulate. In 1768, he pointed out that the foundation of earthly government stands on God’s laws. In his views, “the only true basis of all governments are the laws of God and nature. For government is an ordinance of Heaven, designed by the all-benevolent Creator, for the general happiness of his rational creature, man”.

However, security and peace in a nation comes with a price tag. The citizens have to know God and be educated about who God truly is, so that they could download a blueprint of heaven government for their earthly policy making. God is relentlessly concerned about national security to ward off threats of violence and destruction due to ignorance. Knowing God is a tangible human experience that we can easily fathom out. Knowledge of God has a correlation with some tangible metrics in evaluation. Knowing God is measured through divine metrics of justice as well as socio-economic indicators in a nation. Wherever there is a God-knowledge deficit in a nation we meet the following tangible indicators: wickedness abounds, destruction falls upon the people, and the land is mourning. Reasonably so, Hosea 4: 6 underlies the imperative necessity of knowing God to prevent destruction. “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me”. Injustice, destruction, and violence, as a byproduct of wickedness, put us under obligation to restore government in order to curb the state of lawlessness and restore peace and security for a nation.

It is here that we find the intrinsic correlation between knowing God and being involved in bringing governmental mandate on earth. The end of wickedness is the beginning of knowledge of God leading to a restoration of God’s government on earth. Knowing God walks in parallel with ending wickedness. No one knows God as long as one is comfortable with wickedness which is a highway to corruption and violence. The spillover of systemic wickedness in a nation is the red flag that puts God under obligation to personally intervene in earthly matters. In Isaiah 59: 15, “The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So, He himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head”. It is when wickedness is wiped off out of a nation and in individuals as well that violence and destruction come to an end.

Ignorance leads to wickedness as a form of darkness. In other words, people are wicked because they are ignorant. But ignorant of what or who? Ignorance does not vanish when people earn academic degrees for self government or sovereign leadership mandate. Rather, ignorance is eradicated when people have knowledge of God that put violence and wickedness to final rest. As the dark and fearful days of the Third Reich remind us, by 1942, more than 38000 German physicians were in the Nazi party helping to conduct inhumane experiments in concentration camps. Unsurprisingly, one can be a highly respected educated fool, endowed with dark knowledge to orchestrate violence and destruction for a nation. Genuine knowledge is not the forbidden fruit of dark knowledge. Knowledge is knowledge of the light of God that produces fruits of righteousness and salvation for a nation. That boldly justifies the reason why Isaiah 11: 9 rises the level of knowledge to the point where a government attains a zero tolerance for wickedness, violence, and destruction. “Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord”. God’s government does not run on wickedness and violence but rather on the highways of righteousness and justice.

That is why, we need the Spirit of knowledge, wisdom and understanding to govern a nation. King David was able to govern Israel because he received the Spirit of knowledge and understanding to see what destruction the enemies planned against Israel. Joseph received wisdom and understanding to foresee the clouds of a seven years famine heading against Egypt. Through shrewd economic knowledge, Joseph’s policies brought about a master plan for managing food supply, financial security and economic prosperity for the nation. As such, the Holy Spirit is not given to do religion, but rather to govern nations through a governmental body. Ignorance leads to national destruction through wickedness. Knowledge brings salvation to a nation through righteousness.

As a matter of fact, a city devoid of knowledge of God is a city of sinners, tracked with footprints of blood, violence, one murder after another, lies, theft, adultery, and corruption. In a nutshell, for domestic law enforcement personnel, warfighters, and policy makers, the level of wickedness in a country is the most important national threat assessment to preserve peace and security. Wickedness or darkness destroys a nation alongside individuals. Psalm 55: 10-11 provides a picture of the hydra of wickedness in a nation by depicting how threats and cheating become rampant in the streets leading to the destruction of everything. Indeed, though the city walls “ are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real dangers is wickedness within the city”. Militarizing cities is not a recipe to reducing the inflation of crime, insecurity, and organized violence as long as citizens live and strive by wickedness. It amounts to building injustices into national walls when we allow forced labor, extortion, corruption, and exploitation to become the economic law of a nation. Only a nation abiding by righteous standards of living could find salvation within its walls.

Rightly so, knowing God is not a creed, a doctrinal consecrated formula or a clever rhetorical deck-stacking to discharge from commitment in government. To know God is to know Him as one who loves to see his children fairly and justly governed on earth. Knowing God is knowing Him as: Judge, King, Righteous, and Justice loving God. Knowledge of God is cleaning up wickedness on earth by becoming part of a government on earth that rules on the demonstrating principles of love, justice and righteousness in the nation in order to bring salvation. Those who know God mirror down his Kingdom values on earth. We fight to restore justice and righteousness in the nation because God’s highest and foremost delight is to see his Kingdom values coming to alignment with earthly governments policies. Jeremiah 9: 24 makes plain for us what it takes to have a genuine knowledge of God.

It is coming to the understanding that God is the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that He delights in these things. Thus, knowing God is taking up a ministerial job position in earthly government by bringing an end to violence through justice and righteousness. Salvation is ending violence and economic oppression. If you want to become part of the divine ruling dynasty on earth, you must give justice, be fair-minded and righteous, and help the poor and needy. “This is what the Lord says to the dynasty of David: Give justice each morning to the people you judge! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors.” Jeremiah 21: 11

Saved For Commitment on earth, Not a Life Saving Insurance Plan

One cannot be saved without commitment to governmental legislative work on earth. We have been saved to do a governmental work, not to secure a ticket to heaven. Your commitment determines your level of salvation and the quality of your knowledge of God, not your doctrinal lips confession. For salvation to surround a nation like city walls, those who claim to know God commit to keep and promote God’s government policies, ways, and laws on earth. One cannot get easily away with the glaring rebellion against God’s government policies while pretending to being saved, not alone knowing God. A saved person is a good citizen and a blessing to the nation. As king David taught us the hard lessons learned through his weakest time in life, when we are restored to salvation, we keep to God’s paths through the obedience of God’s policies. Disobedience and rebellion are the bypass to driving out of God’s government. Obedience to God is the only way we can maintain our salvation. But, saved people have the mandate to teach others so that they could reenter the government and not dwell in ignorance. That explains why Jesus commissioned his disciples to go and teach all the nations of the world about God’s government principles and laws. Jesus’ commission is to make nations disciples of God’s government. Nations have to graduate in God’s government on earth. We commit to teach God’s government ways to rebellious nations and peoples so that, they too, may leave wickedness and return to the Kingdom. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then, I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.” Psalm 51: 12-13.

Unquestionably, salvation is a walk with God to restore national security and peace, not applying for immigrant status in heaven. Two tangible steps must be taken as a demonstration of genuine salvation. One, we give up our wickedness and banish the thought of doing wrong because God’s government is all about cleaning up the mess of sins perpetuated by wicked people. “Wash yourself and be clean ! Give up your wicked ways. Learn to do good” Isaiah 1: 16-17. Two, we carry legal and judicial paperwork on our shoulders by giving justice and doing divine laws enforcement. It is impossible to work on God’s government if we do not learn and practice justice and fairness to all: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming to display my righteousness among you” Isaiah 56: 1. In other terms, “seek justice, help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Isaiah 1: 17.

To carry out legislative work on our shoulders, we have to elect good judges who will stand ready to fight for the rights of the people, restore back what had been taken by extortion, payoffs, or bribery, and never hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked. In other words, courts verdicts must be just and lead to peace. In God’s government, the appointment of good judges for the nation is of paramount importance for national security and peace. King Jehoshaphat’s address to the judges he appointed for the nation contains the golden standard for peace through justice in government. “Alway think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with your when you render verdict in each case. Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” 2 Chronicles 19: 4-10.

Unsurprisingly, the Lord in Isaiah 1: 26 is careful about the selection of judges for the nation to reflect his purpose on the earth. God is planning to make the earth a dwelling home of justice. “I will give you good judges again and wise counselors like you used to have. Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice and the Faithful city.” Hence, in Isaiah 3: 13-15, we find out that when the Lord takes his place in court to present his case against his people, the first legal paperwork he brought out for immediate consideration has to do with economic justice: “your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.

How dare you crush my people, grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?” Wickedness accumulates wealth and treasure through economic oppression, extortion, and violence. Micah 4: 10-15 echoes God’s complain about the prevailing corruption in the nation. “What shall I say about the homes of the wicked filled with treasures gained by cheating? What about the disgusting practice of measuring out grain with dishonest measures? How can I tolerate your merchants who use dishonest scales and weights? The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence.” For there is no salvation in a nation as long as economic prosperity takes the route of corruption and violence.

Consequently, God’s legislative agenda is all about caring for the well being of all citizens through concrete measures for the eradication of widespread corruption in public life by restorative justice. In Luke 19:1-10 we find a case of policy analysis bringing God’s government policy alternatives to restore justice on earth.

Zacchaeus is a rich tax collector in chief. As such he represents the case study of those who built their wealth through extortion, alongside unscrupulous, greedy, cheating business practices with little concern about the well being of their fellow citizens. Jesus’ visit to the house of this dishonest man marked a radical turning point in Zacchaeus’ life.

Zacchaeus came to the final conviction that his model of business and wealth accumulation is sinful, unjust, and therefore, in conflict with God’s governmental purpose for the earth. He offered to give back the half of his goods to the poor and restore fourfold anyone he had defrauded. It is only when Zacchaeus decided to turn his back to corruption and cheating and treat his fellow human beings with fairness that salvation came into his life. Henceforth, God’s governmental mandate landed in his house. Zaccheus’ ways of relating with others shifted to a new level and his business ethics was informed by Kingdom paradigms. And Jesus rightfully said to him: “Today, salvation has come to this house”. Zacchaeus was not saved to go to heaven, but to carry on with God’s legislative agenda on earth by walking on righteousness and justice. Salvation is a commitment. It’s building walls of righteousness to protect the nation against economic violence and oppression.

Narcisse Jean Alcide Nana
Evangelist. His last book is Cyber warfare and International Security, Virus Militarisés,